The Awakening provides faith‐based housing for women free of charge. Its six‐month program provides housing, meals, hygiene, and spiritual training to residents. After the six‐month period, individuals are encouraged to find a job and begin making payments. Individuals with sex offenses, violent offenses, and electronic monitors or psychiatric medications are not accepted.

Grace House, Inc.

7404 Highway 90San Antonio, TX 78227

Or write to:

P.O. Box 781283San Antonio, TX 78278Phone: (210) 493‐7884

Grace House provides faith‐based transitional housing for women. A screening process is used, which includes an application and interview. Individuals with sex offenses and those on electronic monitors or psychiatric medications are not accepted. Grace House provides a six‐month program, and no deposit is required.

Living Stones provides faith‐based transitional housing for men and women. Individuals with sex offenses, arsonists, and those on electronic monitors are not accepted. Rent is $65 per week, which includes an evening meal.

New Start provides transitional housing for women. Residents are required to either work 40 hours per week or be a full time student (or both). Rent is 30% of income. Upon successful release from the program, individuals will get a portion of that rent money back. Individuals with sex offenses are not accepted, but those on electronic monitors are permitted. There is a two‐year maximum stay. New Start also assists men who are returning to society through a transitional career program.

Outcry in the Barrio

P.O. Box 37387San Antonio, TX 78237Phone: (210) 433‐0028

Outcry in the Barrio provides transitional housing services for men and women who do not have sex offenses and who are not on electronic monitors. Individuals on psychiatric medication or those with a serious medical condition are not currently accepted. Services are provided free of charge. There is no minimum or maximum stay.

Redemption Missions Ministries provides housing for men. Individuals with sex offenses and those on electronic monitors are not accepted. Rent is $350 per month. There is no minimum or maximum stay.

San Antonio Fighting Back

2803 East Commerce StreetSan Antonio, TX 78203Phone: (210) 271‐7232

Website: www.safb.org

San Antonio Fighting Back provides transitional housing for men. Individuals with sex offenses are not accepted, but those on electronic monitors are permitted. Rent is $350 per month.

San Antonio For Christ

343 Spaatz StreetSan Antonio, TX 78211Phone: (210) 922‐4463

Website: www.sa4christ.org

San Antonio for Christ provides a 90‐day transitional housing program where participants attend a daily faith‐based drug and alcohol counseling session. Individuals with sex offenses and those on electronic monitors are not accepted. The program is free of charge unless residents are making an income.

Victory Gospel Spiritual Growth Center

1603 Montana StreetSan Antonio, TX 78203Phone: (210) 212‐6545

Victory Gospel Spiritual Growth Center provides transitional housing for men and women who do not have sex offenses and who are not on electronic monitors. Individuals on psychiatric medication or those who have a serious medical condition are also not accepted. The initial program lasts three to six months; following that, residents enter a work‐release ministry where they share rent with several other individuals before living on their own.

Victory Life Eastside

1245 Virginia BoulevardSan Antonio, TX 78203Phone: (210) 532‐4767

Victory Life Eastside provides transitional housing services for men. Individuals with sex offenses and those on psychiatric medication or with a serious medical condition are not currently accepted. There is a required stay of six months. No deposit or monthly charges are required.

Victory Outreach Church

4703 Goldfield DriveSan Antonio, TX 78218Phone: (210) 531‐0090

Victory Outreach Church provides transitional housing services for individuals who do not have sex offenses and who are not on psychiatric medication. Individuals with violent offenses and those on electronic monitors are accepted. There is a requested stay of one year. No deposit or monthly charge for services is required.

Woman at the Well House

221 Post AvenueSan Antonio, TX 78215Phone: (210) 472‐2787

Website: www.womanatthewellhouse.org

Woman at the Well House provides a safe, faith‐based living environment with food, clothing, counseling, in‐house programs, and access to community resources, including education, job training, and medical and dental care.

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The Night Before Prison: A Letter, by Lee Gutierrez

Progressive Prison Project

Innocent Spouse & Children Project

Greenwich, Connecticut

The Night Before Prison: A Letter

by Lee Gutierrez

Lee Gutierrez was referred to us only one week before this letter was written and posted - he reports tomorrow to serve his eight-year prison sentence. His is a story of how, on the path of one's spiritual transformation, it is never too late to seek help. He wanted us to publish his letter in order to help others.

______________

September 5, 2013

Mr. Jeff Grant

Director, Progressive Prison Project

15 East Putnam Ave

Greenwich, CT, 06830

Dear Jeff,

I would like to thank you from the deepest part of my soul for helping me with the next steps of my life’s journey. As you know I will be going to prison for a significant amount of time and have been struggling with my thoughts of how to “survive”. I am someone who made a single mistake in my life; I have not had a criminal record since I reached my mid age of 49.

I am an alcoholic and have been struggling with my addiction for over 2 decades. This sickness had consumed me to the point where I was in denial; this denial caused me to have a horrific accident. The result is that I will be incarcerated for a significant part of my 50’s.

This past year has been a struggle for my mind and spirit; I was terrified of the unknown. What would it be like to be in a long term incarceration? I had been talking to people through Recovery that were kind enough to provide a small view of the “life inside” but never enough for me to understand what I would expect. Then through my outpatient counselor I was introduced to Rev. Jeff Grant and the Prison Progressive Project.

Although he is an minister he did not approach me as a religious figure. Having been someone who struggled in prison he understood the challenges and “society inside”. He has come out of it a better person physically, mentally and spiritually. He now dedicates his life to help people like me who have made mistakes and need help and support.

We spent an intense amount of time in such a short period to make sure my fears of the unknown were diminished and all my questions answered. I feel more at peace knowing what steps are going to happen, how to keep in control of what I can and how to assimilate into the “inmate culture”.

I urge you if you are like me; someone who is going into the penal system for the first time and would like to be as prepared as possible. Let Jeff and the Progressive Prison Project organization help you...it is going to save my life.